diff --git a/src/kike.c b/src/kike.c
index 18a906f..cc63195 100644
--- a/src/kike.c
+++ b/src/kike.c
@@ -370,10 +370,10 @@ struct channel
 	struct str_vector invite_list;      ///< Exceptions from +I
 };
 
-static void
-channel_init (struct channel *self)
+static struct channel *
+channel_new (void)
 {
-	memset (self, 0, sizeof *self);
+	struct channel *self = xcalloc (1, sizeof *self);
 
 	self->user_limit = -1;
 	self->topic = xstrdup ("");
@@ -381,10 +381,11 @@ channel_init (struct channel *self)
 	str_vector_init (&self->ban_list);
 	str_vector_init (&self->exception_list);
 	str_vector_init (&self->invite_list);
+	return self;
 }
 
 static void
-channel_free (struct channel *self)
+channel_delete (struct channel *self)
 {
 	free (self->name);
 	free (self->key);
@@ -400,6 +401,8 @@ channel_free (struct channel *self)
 	str_vector_free (&self->ban_list);
 	str_vector_free (&self->exception_list);
 	str_vector_free (&self->invite_list);
+
+	free (self);
 }
 
 static char *
@@ -466,9 +469,9 @@ server_context_init (struct server_context *self)
 
 	str_map_init (&self->users);
 	self->users.key_xfrm = irc_strxfrm;
-	// TODO: set channel_free() as the free function?
 	str_map_init (&self->channels);
 	self->channels.key_xfrm = irc_strxfrm;
+	self->channels.free = (void (*) (void *)) channel_delete;
 	str_map_init (&self->handlers);
 	self->handlers.key_xfrm = irc_strxfrm;
 
@@ -587,12 +590,10 @@ channel_user_count (const struct channel *chan)
 static struct channel *
 channel_create (struct server_context *ctx, const char *name)
 {
-	struct channel *chan = xcalloc (1, sizeof *chan);
-	channel_init (chan);
-	str_map_set (&ctx->channels, name, chan);
-
+	struct channel *chan = channel_new ();
 	chan->ctx = ctx;
 	chan->name = xstrdup (name);
+	str_map_set (&ctx->channels, name, chan);
 	return chan;
 }
 
@@ -600,11 +601,7 @@ static void
 channel_destroy_if_empty (struct server_context *ctx, struct channel *chan)
 {
 	if (!chan->users)
-	{
 		str_map_set (&ctx->channels, chan->name, NULL);
-		channel_free (chan);
-		free (chan);
-	}
 }
 
 // --- Clients -----------------------------------------------------------------